Due to the tremendous turnout to the City of West Fargo’s rapid COVID-19 testing event, the City of West Fargo and the West Fargo Fire Department has announced additional COVID-19 rapid testing dates for the next five weeks.
The rapid testing events will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, Jan. 20, Jan. 27, Feb. 3 and Feb. 10, on the first floor of the City of West Fargo’s public parking garage at The Lights Plaza (3150 Sheyenne St.) The new dates, times and event configuration will ease congestion and traffic issues during the event.
The screening is for asymptomatic visitors only. If you are sick, DO NOT attend these events, isolate at home and contact a health provider. Unless it is an emergency, ALWAYS call ahead before visiting your doctor.
Participants should register for the testing before arriving at the event at https://testreg.nd.gov/. If the weather is not favorable, the City of West Fargo and the West Fargo Fire Department will announce event cancellations on their social media pages.
“More than 800 people over three days turned out for the first events so we decided to continue,” said West Fargo Fire Department Chief Dan Fuller. “We want to thank the North Dakota National Guard for the training, tests and supplies so we can hold these events. We would also like to thank EPIC Companies and the residents of The Lights on Sheyenne 32 buildings for their continued assistance in providing parking space.”
To minimize potential traffic congestion during the free, rapid COVID-19 testing events, the route to access the testing site has been updated.
Those who would like to be tested should use 32nd Avenue W., turn north at Sixth Street W. and enter the West Fargo Sports Arena parking lot. Signs will direct attendees to the testing area through the parking lot. After completing the test, attendees will exit The Lights Plaza’s public parking ramp east on 30th Ave. and head south on Sheyenne Street.
About the test
The test is a self-administered, shallow nose swab that visitors complete themselves in the vehicle. By screening with rapid antigen tests, event attendees will be able to receive their test results within an hour. The test also is less invasive than other tests because it uses a nasal swab to collect a sample from the lower part of the nostril.
If a person tests positive after their rapid antigen test, they should isolate at home immediately and a case investigator will be in touch with them within 24 hours. If the screening yields a negative result, individuals should continue to monitor for symptoms. Regardless of testing results, the community should continue to follow guidelines to slow the spread of COVID-19, including staying home when sick, staying 6 feet apart, avoiding large gatherings, washing hands often, avoiding touching the face, wearing a mask and continuing to clean frequently touched surfaces.
For more information about rapid antigen tests and North Dakota’s screening strategies, visit https://www.health.nd.gov/rapid-antigen-screening.
In addition to the above screening events, several local public health units across North Dakota continue to host free testing for community members. A list of testing events is available at health.nd.gov/covidtesting. During these events, a PCR test is typically used that may take 24-72 hours to receive a positive test result and up to 72 hours to receive a negative test result.
For more information on COVID-19, visit health.nd.gov/coronavirus.